In Lahore, Pakistan, a young girl has recently developed an unusual curiosity—gas turbine maintenance. Her father, Waqas Ahmad, a senior customer portfolio manager at GE Vernova, has been explaining the basics to her in simple terms. His inspiration came from a major professional milestone: the execution of planned outages for four 9HA gas turbines across two power plants in Punjab. The stakes were high, and the pressure was tangible.

What helped steady his nerves was revisiting the fundamentals while explaining them to his daughter—like how a 110-ton rotor is extracted for inspection. It reinforced the depth of preparation behind the task: nearly two years of meticulous planning.

Rotor lifting operation during maintenance in Punjab

By early February, after five weeks of intensive work, Waqas and a multinational GE Vernova team of around 40 specialists successfully completed the first major inspection of a 9HA turbine in the Middle East and South Asia. The turbine restarted flawlessly on the first attempt and immediately reached baseload operation. By mid-April, all four turbines had undergone inspection—on schedule and without incident.

This efficiency enabled the state utility to quickly resume generating substantial volumes of electricity—critical in a country where energy demand is tight. According to GE Vernova’s Pakistan service leadership, consistent execution of such outages strengthens long-term grid reliability.

The accomplishment also elevated the local team’s global standing. Their experience is now being leveraged by other regions preparing for similar outages. Back home, Waqas’s daughter followed the story with fascination—perhaps a future engineer in the making.

A Demanding Technical Challenge

Pakistan began shifting toward gas-fired generation in 2015, commissioning six 9HA.01 turbines across three plants: Haveli Bahadur Shah, Bhikki, and Balloki. By 2018, all units were operational, collectively delivering up to 3.6 GW—enough to supply roughly 7.5 million households. Beyond capacity, these turbines enhance grid stability by providing essential inertia and enabling future renewable integration.

Two 9HA turbines undergoing maintenance in Punjab

Routine inspections are essential for maintaining turbine performance. Engineers dismantle the outer casing to inspect critical hot gas path components, followed by detailed testing of temperature, pressure, and vibration metrics.

However, the 9HA turbine is far from standard. With advanced materials, high-efficiency combustion systems, and hydrogen co-firing capability (up to 50%), it resembles a high-performance system requiring surgical precision during disassembly. The process involves approximately 15 specialized tools and around 40 non-standard procedures per inspection. Each outage had to be completed within a strict 35-day contractual window.

Execution Through Coordination

Preparation was exhaustive. Over two years, the team assembled personnel, secured tools and spare parts, and developed granular execution schedules. While the total allocated time for four outages was 140 days, the team compressed the timeline to 100 days through staggered execution.

The first two turbines at Haveli Bahadur Shah were taken offline at the start of the year and returned to service by late February. The remaining two at Balloki followed from March through mid-April.

Despite the planning, uncertainty remained—especially regarding rotor condition. Major damage could have required overseas repairs, causing delays of several months. Fortunately, inspections confirmed all critical components were intact.

Global coordination played a key role. Engineering support came from teams across multiple regions, while logistics hubs in Amsterdam and Atlanta ensured uninterrupted supply chains.

Field engineer Zahra Mushtaq with the inspection team

Field engineer Zahra Mushtaq emphasized that synchronized teamwork was essential: seamless collaboration across on-site and remote teams ensured smooth execution. This capability reflects GE Vernova’s long-term investment in developing technical expertise in Pakistan.

By day 19, the first turbine had already undergone minor repairs and was ahead of schedule. Before the 35-day deadline, it was fully operational again. The same disciplined process was replicated across the remaining units.

Setting a Regional Benchmark

The successful execution exceeded client expectations. Leadership at Pakistan’s National Power Parks Management Company highlighted the team’s professionalism and ability to handle complex outages with precision.

CEO Akram Kamal statement visual

This project now serves as a benchmark for upcoming inspections across the region, including installations in the UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. As these fleets approach their first major outages, the Pakistani team’s experience becomes increasingly valuable.

Zero Incidents, Maximum Impact

Equally significant was the project’s safety performance. Over four months, with nearly 200 personnel involved and thousands of man-hours logged, the team recorded zero safety incidents. This outcome was driven by rigorous risk assessments and a strong culture of accountability, where any identified risk led to immediate work stoppage and resolution.

Looking Ahead

The team has since become a reference point within GE Vernova for outage execution. Knowledge-sharing initiatives—workshops, forums, and regular calls—are already underway to transfer insights globally.

For Waqas, the achievement validates the company’s core principles: collaboration, accountability, and execution discipline. And at home, his daughter now sees engineering not just as a concept—but as something tangible, impactful, and worth pursuing.

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